Gaseous electric discharge device



1934- E. G. DORGELQ 1,934,468

GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed April 18, 1934 INVENTOR AT ORNEYPatented nee. 1e, rose.

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restate essnons accurate are tion oi New York Application April 318,1934, Se No. 321,122 in the Netherlands April 24, R933 (ill.

I The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge devicesgenerally and more particularly the invention relates to such devicesuseful as light sources.

A gaseous electric discharge device having two thermionic electrodes ofthe indirectly heated type the heating elements of which are connectedin series to each other and in parallel to the gaseous electricdischarge between said electrodes ofiers many advantages among which isthat it is necessary to seal only two current leads through the wall ofthe container of the device. This type of device, in common with othertypes of discharge devices. requires a series connected impedance forthe successful operation thereof. A certain quantity of energy isconsumed in the series impedance which lowers the luminous efllciency ofthe device. This is true also for a device having out one indirectlyheated thermionic electrode the heating element of which is connected inparallel to the discharge path to said electrode.

The object of the present invention is to improvethe luminous efiiciencyoi gaseous electric discharge lamps of the above type. Another ohject ofthe invention is to provide an efficient gaseous electric discharge lampdevice. Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device andto its use and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following particular description.

The objects of the invention are attained by connecting a part of theheater element of an indirectly heated thermionic electrode in parallelwith the discharge path and connecting another part of said heaterelement in series with the dis charge path to serve as a seriesresistance. A separate series resistance is thm eliminated and theenergy formerly wasted in the series resistance is now utilized inheating the electrode to its electron emitting temperature during theoperation of the device. The device is an emcient iamp unit of simplestructure.

in the drawing accompanying and forming part or this specification twoembodiments oi the invention are shown, in which Fig. 1 is a frontelevational, schematic view of one embodiment of the invention showingthe electrodes of the device partly in section, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the fnvention.

Like numbers denote parts in both. the

-flgures.

The embodiment of the new and novel gaseous electric discharge lampdevice illustrates:v in Fig. 1 of the drawing comprises a. container 1having a stem 2 and two indirectly heated electrodes mounted on currentleads sealed into the press of said stem 2. Each 0! the electrodesconsist of a metal cylinder 3, or nickel, for example, the

(till. lift-d2?) external surface oi which is coated with a materialhaving high electron emitting characteristics, such as barium oxide. Aheater element i, such as a tungsten flint, is mounted inside saidcylinder 3 and is electrically insulated therefrom by a body oiinsulating material, such as alnum oxide, not shown for purposes ofsimplicity. The heating elements 4 are connected in series by lead 5 andto the current leads 8 and 7. Said cylinder 3 is connected to themid-point 8 of the heating element i. The part of each of the heatingelements 4 between the point 8 and the current leads 6 and i isconnected in series with the discharge between the cylinders 3 of saidelectrodes and serves as the series resistance for said discharge. Theother part of said heating elements is connected in parallel withthesaid discharge.

Said container 1 has a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a rare gas,such as noon, at a pressure oi a few millimeters and a metal vapor, suchas mercury vapor.

The embodiment of theinvention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing isthe same as that illustrated in Fig. 1 except that in this embodimentbut one indirectly heated, thermionic electrode which acts as thecathode is sealed in said container 1 and an anode 9 is mounted in saidcontainer 1. The heating element 4 01' the cathode is connected inseries with the anode 9. The embodiment of the invention illustrated inFig. i of the drawing is particularly suitable for operation onalternating current and the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFig. 2 of the draw ing is particulariy suitable for operation on directcurrent.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexedclaim certain novel features oft-the invention, it will be understoodthat various omissions, substitutions and changer: in the forms anddetails of the device illustrated and in its use and operation may bemade by those sealed therein, one of said electrodes comprising a heaterelement and being electron emitting when heated, part of said heatingelement being connectedin parallel with the discharge to said electrode,anotherpart of said heating element being connected in series with saiddischarge to act as a series resistance for said discharge.

EDUARD G. DORGELO.

